Destination: Home
by twinmuse
Summary: COMPLETE A Shelby fic. My take on what happens when Shelby gets sent home to care for Walt. And what SHE does with it. My 1st HG, please R&R!
1. Oh no he didn't!

A/N: This story takes place when Shelby had to go home to take care of her stepdad Walt after he had the heart attack. I forget what the episode was called, but it's an AU so what happened in the story didn't happen in my little story, okay all my Scolby's out there? Only some key points from the episode is still added. Enjoy!  
  
  
  
Dis: Do not: own them, have any dinero , sue me. K?  
  
  
  
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" Shelby, come here!" her stepfather yelled once again, only this time  
  
it was close to 1 am in the morning. Shelby muttered things under  
  
her breath that could not be printed and trudged to his room.  
  
" Shelby, kitty, my feet are killing me! Can you rub them, please?"  
  
Walt said in a weak, pathetic voice. Shelby rolled her eyes and  
  
snapped back.  
  
" It's one in the morning, Walt! Normal people use this time to  
  
SLEEP?!" Shelby retorted sarcastically.  
  
" But my feet still hurt at one in the morning!" he whined back. She  
  
huffed and sat on the edge of the bed to rub his feet. Even though  
  
he was incapacitated right now, she still was afraid of him and would  
  
follow his orders like he could come after her again.  
  
She rubbed his feet till she heard him start to snore and got up to  
  
leave when suddenly a VERY strong hand clasped onto her wrist  
  
twisting it roughly.  
  
" Where are you going kitten?! You're not finished with my dose of  
  
TLC!" a voice rasped in her ear. She suddenly realized that he wasn't  
  
as sick as everyone thought. Her nightmare of being afraid of him  
  
was still a reality.  
  
" Let GO of me! Or I'll scream!" she threatened, trying to jerk away;  
  
but, as always, he had a dead lock on her wrist. When he twisted it  
  
again to get her to sit back down, she mutely cried out in severe  
  
pain as she felt something give in her wrist. It was so painful she had  
  
to blink a second to get her bearings straight again.  
  
" Now Shel-by, you promise me you won't say a word to your mother  
  
or anyone, or I'll 'love' your baby sis some more, just like the way I  
  
'loved' you. Got it?!" he said threateningly in her ear. She nodded her  
  
head in compliance, looking dead ahead, with tears of anger in her  
  
eyes.  
  
How dare he touch my little sister!?! Shelby screamed through her  
  
head. He finally let go and she stumbled out of the room in tears of  
  
anger and pain.  
  
It's all MY fault! I shouldn't have left her here alone, unprotected! He  
  
PROMISED me! Shelby thought as she made her way back down the  
  
hall.  
  
  
  
A/N: Hoped you liked!! Please R&R! I'd really love you a lot if you did!! My other story, 24 based, is getting very little reviews and it's bumming out. I need a little pick me up. This is my first HG fic so tell how I'm doing! And I'll get back to the Cliffy's at Horizon, not too much, but you'll see from in the next chapter or so. Remember, R&R PLEASE!!!!!!!! Thanx! 


	2. Breaking Point

D: Don't own 'em.Blah, yammer, etc.  
  
A/N: SOOOOOO sorry it's been awhile since I posted!! My grandfather was down visiting and ended up going to the emergency room at when he was experiencing chest pain and left arm tingling. My twin sister and I stayed with him when my parents and uncle went home once they knew he was okay, but we stayed to make sure they admitted him and help when the nurses talked with him. (He is very hard of hearing, lots of yelling!) We didn't get home 'till 1 in the morning. He's doing okay, wasn't a heart attack but he did leave AMA the next day, he hates being in the hospital when he feels 'fine'. He drove home today, 10 hours to northern California, all alone. Stubborn old fart. N-E-wayz, just needed to vent, thanks for listening. Here's my next piece to Destination: Home. Enjoy, and thanks to all my reviewers, you're the best! Made my night!  
  
AA/N: oh, and if anyone knows how to make sentences spaced out, please email me!! Can't figure out how to keep it from being one big paragraph!! Gracias!!  
  
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Shelby immediately went to Jess's room and quietly went in closing the door behind her. "Jess? Jessabell sweetie, wake up." Shelby said softly, sitting on the edge of her bed, holding her wrist. "Hurmph..nooo! Leave me alone Walt!" she cried out not completely awake yet. Shelby gasped, putting her hand to her mouth, starting to tear up. "Noo! No, no, no, no!" Shelby repeated, shaking her head back and forth not wanting to believe it. Jess finally woke up and startled at the sight of her upset sister. "Shelby?!?" Jess said in a scared, crying, and uncertain voice. "He hurt you TOO?! Did he Jessabell?! Tell me, did he TOUCH you!?!" Shelby pleaded as she took her baby sister's face in her hands to look her straight in the eye. At first she just looked scared, then she flashed to anger. "YES! And it's all your fault! You left me here with him!! Why?!" Jess whispered loudly. Shelby just cried even harder, repeating the same thing. "He promised, he promised! I'm so sorry, he promised me!" she said looking all over helplessly. Once her gaze made it back to Jess she grabbed her up into a big hug and rocked back and forth crying with her. A little while later she led Jess into her room to sleep with her, holding her hand. She wasn't going to let him get to her again. She also was near her breaking point. He'd gone too far. 


	3. Promises

D: Don't own them, you know the rest.  
  
A/N: Sorry for the short chapter last chapter. I was typing it real late and couldn't stay up too late, had an early class in the morning. Here's the next chappy, hope you like it, it'll be longer, I promise! And please review!!  
  
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Jess had been staying with Shelby for about a week by the time Daisy started noticing that a letter hadn't come yet. So she wrote another one saying in it if Shelby didn't respond to it in three days, she was going to have someone check up on her to see if she was okay. Meanwhile, Scott has gone mute and moody-er than ever, if that was possible. Daisy and the rest of the Cliffhangers tried to cheer him up in their own ways, but nothing would help. Peter and Sophie had just about enough of Scott's behavior, but didn't have the heart to really get mad at him for it.  
  
At Shelby's house one morning not long after she found out about Jess, Shelby and Walt were home alone after her mom went off to work and Jess went to school. Shelby was folding cloths as much as possible with her bad wrist. It had swollen up a bit and was very tender and stiff. She told her mom she fell on it, but her mom just shrugged it off telling her she was a tough girl and that she'd get over it soon, hustling out the door not even looking at it. Only Jess cared, finding an old ace bandage and using thick rulers to splint it up like she learned in Girl Scouts.  
  
"Shel-bell, you have to go get it looked at! It's probably fractured or something!" Jess had said just that morning as she left for school. Now Shelby totally agreed when she realized she couldn't even fold towels. She finally finished the load and as she turned around she bumped into. Walt!  
  
"Hello, kitten!" Walt said sickly grabbing her arms. She dropped her basket of cloths and gasped in shock . "Leave me alone, Walt! How are you up and about?!" She growled warningly.  
  
"Now, why would I do such a thing like that? I've missed you SO much!" he said with a sick grin on his face. Shelby got frightened back to that younger, smaller little girl, who was scared and helpless. Then pictures of Horizon and everyone flashed through her head. Then Scott flashed up and she screamed.  
  
"Noo! Let. Me. GO!" she screamed, shoving him with all her might. Walt fell to the floor, startled at her outburst. She's never fought back before so strongly.  
  
"You are NOT going to hurt me OR my sister..AGAIN!" she yelled two inches from his face, bent over him. He suddenly swung up and punched her good. She flew against the wall, stunned for a second, but then she stood up, seeming a little taller. She could already feel the blood of the 2-inch gash above her left eyebrow start to pour down her face and neck. She stomped over and before the mighty Walt could react she kicked him. Hard. In the head. Walt was knocked out immediately. Shelby hurriedly packed two bags one for her and one for Jess. She tried to clean up her gash as much as possible quickly, just to clear the blood away, and got out the door. She easily hot-wired the old beat up Ford truck that belonged to Walt and headed for the Junior High School where her sister was. Once there, she went to administration and plastered on a fake smile in a cheerfully and bubbly voice.  
  
" Hi! Good Morning ma'am! Can you call Jessabell Merrick's room to let her out? She has a doctors appointment!" Shelby said not even skipping a beat. As the receptionist looked down behind her to find the release slip after pulling up Jess's file, Shelby snuck a peek at the room number she was in. Before the receptionist could look back up to respond, Shelby was gone. She ran down the hall to the second floor. She then turned left to room 298. They had glass windows on the room doors, so Shelby peeked inside until she spotted her little sister. It was Mr. Gunthrie's English class. Shelby smiled; she had him, just before she ran away. She remembered something and had a plan. She just hoped she taught her little sister well.  
  
She stared hard at Jess until she finally looked up, feeling her stare. Shelby waved to come, then pointed at the teacher and pretended to raise her hand all dramatically and smile bubbly while twirling her hair with her fingers and batting her eyelashes. Then she nodded at Jess to do the same thing. Jess just about giggled at her big sister's little act, but did as Shelby demonstrated.  
  
"Ahem." she coughed, raising her hand daintily as Mr. Gunthrie looked up at her.  
  
"Yes, Ms. Merrick?" he said smiling at her.  
  
"Oh, can I be excused to the little girls room please sir?"Jess said, all sugary, twirling and batting away.  
  
"Sure, sweety. Take all the time you need." He said, nodding. Jess smiled back and gathered all her things and slipped out smiling at Shelby, until she saw the huge gash on her sister's face.  
  
"Oh, my gosh, Shelly! Did HE do this to you?!?" Jess said, touching Shelby's forehead gently.  
  
"Yes, and he isn't a sick as everyone thinks. I was folding cloths in the other room and he grabbed me. REALLY hard! We got in a scuffle and he hit me hard enough to throw me across the room. I guess his ring caught me or something. But I kicked him in the head and knocked him out and ran. I don't know for how long he'll stay out, so we have to hurry." Shelby said, this whole time they were making their way to the parking lot. When they walked up to Walt's truck, Jess froze, staring.  
  
" You STOLE his TRUCK!!" Jess squealed, mouth hitting the floor. Shelby just nodded and shrugged. Then Jess nodded and shrugged as well.  
  
" Cool!" and she climbed in next to Shelby. Nothing seemed to faze her when it came to things her sister did. She was just a mini version of her big sister; she'd have done the same thing.  
  
"Just don't ever lock the doors, I had to hot wire it so there is no keys." Shelby warned, hot wiring it again to get it to start. They drove away fast, never looking back.  
  
"I hope you weren't too attached to any thing back there, Jessabell." Shelby said about 45 minutes later when they were leaving the towns city limits, heading on the interstate heading. SOMEwhere. Jess stared behind her a moment.  
  
"You got all the things all need?" Jess checked, talking in a soft voice. Shelby murmured a yes. Jess just shrugged.  
  
"Then I'm fine as long as we stay together." She said with finality. It was all she needed. Shelby smiled and nodded.  
  
"Promise." She said, holding Jess's hand gently with her bad wrist. She didn't think she knew where she was going, not registering that she had pointed them in the direction of they're true home, but in the end, she knew everything was going to be okay.  
  
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A/N: Hope you liked this extra long chapter! Please review and tell me what you think. I put this up fast to make up for last chappy. Next chapter, everything starts to get worse before they can get better. R&R!!! 


	4. Where She Belongs

D: Not mine, unfortunately, so.yeah.  
  
A/N: Thanks soooooooo much to my reviewers and for the tips on how to space!! LUV U PEEPS!!!! Here's my next chapter for all y'all, I'm typing this for you while the 6th game of the World Series is on, and that is NOT what I usually do as a HUGE Angels fan!! Gotta luv when your hometown is playin'! N-E-Wayz here's your chappy, just like ya wanted. Enjoy!  
  
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Meanwhile, at Horizon, Sophie and Peter were forced to interfere with Scott's "boy-blues" once and for all. "Scott, you have to eat something!! You haven't eaten in days and it's making you sick! Snap! Out! Of! It!" Sophie demanded as she lectured Scott in Peter's office. Peter was eyeballing Scott this whole time. "I'm gonna break policy this once, only because it is a matter of your health." Peter finally spoke up, picking up the phone. He dialed Shelby's home phone number from the Rolodex. Then sat back as it rang. "Hi, Mrs. Merrick? This is Peter from Horizon..what?.no, not at all since she left with you. I'll ask ok?, hold on.Soph, go get Daisy, quick..yeah, Mrs. Merrick. When was the last time you saw her? Yesterday morning, before work? I see, she did?! Okay, I'll alert my people up here." Peter said, getting all uptight and urgent like. This caught Scott's attention immediately. " What is it?! What happened to Shelby?" Scott said in a high whisper. Just then Sophie came in followed by Daisy. "What's up Chief? Why so urgent?" Daisy asked, eyeing Scott with a look. "Hold on ma'am..Daisy, have you gotten any letters from Shelby? Like yesterday or the day before saying anything about running away?" Peter asked quickly. "No, I haven't gotten one from her in over a week and a half, I got worried so I sent one the other day saying if I didn't hear from her in 3 days, I was sending help. Why? Is she gone?!" Daisy asked, growing concerned. Peter frowned and went back to Shelby's mom on the phone. "Nope, Mrs. Merrick, She hasn't said anything to us. It's okay to send cops, but not to arrest her, she had to have run for a reason. I'm sure she didn't purposely attack your husband. She must of had a reason. For taking Jess too. Okay, keep me updated. Bye." Peter said as he hung up, rubbing his face with his hands. "What? Is Shelby okay? Where is she?" Scott said in a nearly screaming voice jumping up to his feet. A little too fast. He got real dizzy and Sophie had to help him to a chair. " Tell you what, I'll tell you everything I know, but only if you eat something, And only something Sophie makes you." Peter said, finally finding an angle to get to Scott with, even it was kinda mean. Scott frowned and eyeballed Sophie a moment. " Yumm, whole grain goodness and all!" Daisy sarcastically smirked. "Okay, but then you'll spill, right?" Scott said getting up slower and following Sophie to the door. Peter nodded his promise. After a turkey and cheese sandwich on wheat, an apple and a glass of milk, Peter was ready to spill. "She ran away sometime yesterday with Hank's truck with Jess, her little sister. But before she left she had some kind of scuffle with Walt where she knocked him down and kicked him unconscious. They found blood at the scene but Walt has no scratch on him, so they assume its Shelby's. Walt swears he is innocent, she attacked him, but suddenly can't remember how he got to the kitchen and whose blood it is. Says it's because of his concussion. Shelby's mother sent the police out for her and since they don't know the story, they're treating her like an escaped 'runaway' with possible kidnapping and assault charges. The last person to see her or Jess is the receptionist at Jessabell's school. Jess ran away from school also. The police are working for it at that end, so we have to do our part on this end. That means you have to start taking better care of yourself so you can help us. Help her. Got it?" Peter said. Scott nodded his head agreeing feeling bad about putting himself in this state. He needed to be strong for Shelby. HIS Shelby. He could feel how upset and desperate she felt, just like he felt the terror and helplessness she'd been feeling while at home. It was why he couldn't eat. He just wanted her back safe in his arms, where she belonged.  
  
A/N: HEHE! Left a little cliffhanger there, no pun intended! Hope you like it, it's a little shorter than I wanted, but I'll post soon. Next chappy, Shelby and Jess's situation goes from bad to worse. Will Scott be able to help her in time!? Stay tuned! R&R! 


	5. Jess Joplin

D: Wish I had them, owned them, still loved them enough to PUT THEM BACK ON AIR!! But, alas, I don't, so don't sue, I'm just borrowing.  
  
A/N: Sorry bout last chapters spacing, I thought I fixed that, I'll try something different with this one, a tip someone reviewed me with from my 24 story. N-E-Wayz here's the next chappy even though no one's reviewing, I don't hold my chappy's hostage, hope you all appreciate that. Look out for my next HG fic, it's a juicy one!  
  
  
  
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The 'this end' stuff Peter was talking about to do was put an APB out with Shelby and Jess's description and titled them as 'scared runaways' that were possibly injured. At this time Shelby was resting in the drivers seat while Jess went into a little mom-n-pop grocery mini-store that was off the side of the road in the mountains. It was getting really cold and Shelby's head started bleeding again due to the high altitude. Jess came back with two hot sandwiches, an order of hot curly fries, and a hot coffee and chocolate. She also grabbed some first aid stuff for Shelby's head.  
  
  
  
"ohmygosh! Shellie, it's bleeding so much again! You're gonna lose too much blood!" Jess said worriedly, trying to clean up and bandage her sister's head.  
  
"I'm okay Jess" Shelby lied, a little woozy.  
  
"I just need to eat something, to make up for it. I'll be fine." Shelby said weakly. Grabbing a curly fry and her coffee.  
  
"Can you drive a little?" Shelby asked seriously. Jess got all wide eyed.  
  
"Yeah, I'm still not that great. Only when you showed me that once or twice back then." Jess said, scooting over to the drivers seat after they finished eating a little.  
  
"Just like coloring, stay between the lines, break slightly at the turns. You'll be fine." Shelby commented smirking.  
  
"You have to stay awake though." Jess said, knowing she probably had a concussion.  
  
"I know. Sing to me or something, the radio doesn't come in here." Shelby said sleepishly. She slouched against the door and gazed at her sister.  
  
"Sing to you..sure. Let's see..I wrote this one a little while ago. A couple of days after you got here, found something in your room that inspired me. You might be able to understand where I'm coming from with it." Jess said proudly, but a little nervous.  
  
"Oh yeah, Jessabell, my little recording artist sister. Haven't heard anything from you since you were a little squirt, Squirt. You'll make it someday, support your dear old sister,huh? Lay it on me Janis Joplin Jr." Shelby kidded, smiling at her, remembering when Jess used to make up songs and sing beautifully as a child. So, Jess started singing 'Naked' by Avril Lavigne. (I think Jess could sound just like her.) Shelby stayed awake listening to her baby sister sing HER song, a poem she had written about how Scott completely changed her life from the one she used to walk around pretending to live in. She also stayed awake because her BABY sister was DRIVING! Who'd fall asleep during THAT!!!  
  
  
  
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A/N: Hope you all enjoyed that, MAYBE review for me?!?! Please, pretty please!?? Tell me if you like how I'm writing this story. Oh, and sorry so short, it's at a good spot to end the chapter. I'll put up a longer one next time, and I'll try to fix the spacing problem. Next chappy: The end of the road for Shelby and Jess , also will Peter be able to get to them before the police do?? Stay tuned!! And PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE R&R!!!! thanx! 


	6. Following Her Heart

D: Not mine, boo-hoo, but they're not mine..okay!?  
  
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are the BEST!!! Love all the reviews, so here's the next chappy, guaranteed to be longer. It gets more into the juicy climax stuff, so hold on to the edge of your seats! Gosh, I need to stop watching so much TV!! Enjoy, and review perty please!?! A/N: By the way, I wrote this with the impression that Shelby lived only about 12 hours from Horizon, I did not know it was different on the show, so keep that in mind. {#}  
  
Jess drove well into the early, early morning when she started yawning. And the truck did as well.  
  
"What WAS that?!" Shelby said waking up when she'd unwillingly fell asleep a few hours back.  
  
"I don't know, the trucks acting funny." Jess said in a scared whine. She gripped the wheel harder as the noise seemed to get louder.  
  
"How long has it been making that noise? We don't need gas!" Shelby said worried now.  
  
"About an hour ago, I think." Jess said shrugging.  
  
"An HOUR AGO!! Jessabell Christy Merrick! HOW come you didn't TELL me!!?" Shelby yelled, her head pounding even more.  
  
" I'm SORRY Shelby Breelyn Merrick, YOU wouldn't wake up completely, you just kept mumbling stuff. You have a CONCUSSION..remember!!" Jess yelled defensively.  
  
"Okay.I'm sorry.It's just my head hurts. Okay.. Pull over and we'll see what's wrong." Shelby said holding her head in her only good hand. Her injured right wrist wasn't helping either. She felt helpless. She wanted Scott. She NEEDED Scott.  
  
Jess pulled over and they climbed out onto a small dirt path along the highway. Shelby popped the hood so Jess could open it then came to look herself. It smoked.  
  
A LOT.  
  
"Um..cough.wellcough.it's..cough."Jess sputtered eyeballing the engine while cocking her head to the side with a confused bewildered look on her face.  
  
"cough, cough.ughh..SCOTT!!!" Shelby sputtered than screamed when she had no clue what to do now. It was freezing. She needed a doctor, mechanic, a heater, and a hug all at once. And on top of that their flash light batteries were already low. She didn't think it could possibly get any worse.  
  
"Uh.sorry to bring up more bad news, Shell-bell, but the police are out looking for you. They say you kidnapped me and assaulted Walt. They want to arrest you and told people to consider you dangerous." Jess piped up unsuringly. Shelby almost fell apart then and there. They sat on a low rock together, huddled together for warmth.  
  
"Wonderful." Was all she said as she teared up finally, her whole face crumpling up making her gash hurt worse. Jess looked at her with pity.  
  
"I know. Scott." Jess said softly, laying her head on her big sister's shoulder.  
  
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At Horizon, Scott was awake to at 3:00am in the morning. "She needs me." He whispered into the air by the outside fireplace. He didn't know how he knew, but he just did. He could just feel her desperate, afraid, and lost. Boy, was she ever.  
  
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By light, Shelby was weak. Jess was only a little better but the freezing from the night before had gotten to her also.  
  
"Sh-Shelby? Are we gonna die?" Jess asked with a very small voice.  
  
"No! W-we are n-not! Just hang in th-there J-Jess!" Shelby said, still trying to perfect the plan B she'd been working on. They had spent the rest of the night/early morning in the truck getting some warmth snuggled up together with a blanket Shelby had brought.  
  
"At least it's light out and the cops haven't found us yet. How close do you think we are to that school of yours?" Jess asked as Shelby tried once again to try to start the truck.  
  
"About a 2 hour drive..I don't know how far it is to walk. But we're walking. It won't start, and now that it's light the cops will find us for sure." Shelby said defeated, pounding the wheel with her only good hand. Jess frowned at this and looked scared.  
  
"Well,.go through the bags, take only the bare minimums and put it in the lightest most adequate bag. Something that won't slow you down. I'll use rope from under the seat to roll two blankets up. And make sure to have room for the water bottles and the granola bars you got. We have to start walking before the cops find us. Hurry." Shelby stated, remembering from some of the things she learned with Peter and Sophie on all their hikes.  
  
Twenty minutes later they were packed, all except.  
  
"Snoozie! I HAVE to bring him, Shel!"Jess pouted.  
  
"Okay, I'll tie him to the outside of your pack." Shelby said rolling her eyes but smiling softly. She had her own stuffed elephant baby from Scott. So they set their packs firmly on their backs and started out at 7:00am on the dot after a granola bar and cold coffee breakfast. They headed straight into the forest with only Shelby's sort-of knowledge on direction. She just followed her heart.  
  
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A/N: Did you like? Hope you did! Please review! I JUST watched the second episode of 24..SO.GOOD! Poor Kim! And that little Megan is so cute, poor little thing, wonder what happened to her! N-E-Wayz, next chappy will be up soon, and don't forget to review, I like them lots!! Thanx! 


	7. Help Or Something Else?

D: HG is not mine. Just borrowing it and the characters, I'll give them back when I'm done, don't get your panties in a knot.  
  
A/N: thanx to my most loyal reviewers: Emer, hoplessromantic, Katwomyn2k5, Lauren, Funkee Monkee, Prettyg36, and (). Here's the next installment of my first HG fanfic. Coming soon #2 HG fanfic from yours truly twin*muse. Enjoy!  
  
  
  
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Just follow your heart, they always say. To your true home. All you have to do is follow your heart. Seemed easy enough.  
  
  
  
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By 8:30am or so the cops found the truck and radioed it in. By 9:00am Horizon had a search party ready to search for the missing girls with Peter leading.  
  
"I STILL don't understand why I can't go!!" Scott yelled getting upset even more as the search party got ready to leave without him.  
  
" You can't because you are still weak and sick from NOT taking care of yourself. It's only your fault. Don't be mad at us. We're just concerned about your well being." Sophie explained again, trying to calm the teenager down.  
  
" I'll find her for you Scott. Don't worry." Daisy said. Her and Kat were the strongest and most experienced to go on the search. David and Auggie were the two guys going along with a few other long time Horizon students. Sophie had to stay behind because of her 'condition' but nothing's stopping Peter. But he did put on his specially made knee brace. They set off going directly straight from there to where the truck was left on a map. It was straight over a mountain and through a small valley.  
  
Meanwhile, Shelby was getting worse. Her head was just throbbing and she was seeing and hearing all kinds of weird things. All her haunts from her past. And Jess was sneezing and coughing a lot more and more. Even though it was mid-morning, it still was pretty cold. They'd been walking for over four hours when Shelby just about passed out, falling on her hands and knees, messing her bad wrist up more. She cried out for Jess in pain.  
  
" Shelby! What's wrong?! You okay?!" Jess said worriedly.  
  
" My head..it hurts real bad. And I f-fell on my stupid wrist!" Shelby cried out miserably. Jess kneeled down and placed Shelby's head in her lap. She looked at her biting her lip.  
  
"Shel..are we lost?" Jess asked unsuringly, not wanting to upset her any more.  
  
"No. I know where I'm going Jessabell. I PROMISE you. It's just.."Shelby said faltering and teared up, closing her eyes.  
  
"What is it Shel?" Jess asked softly, moving her hair behind her ear then putting her cheek on Shelby's forehead.  
  
" I can't go on anymore...I just NEED to sleep a little while. Just need to rest a little, keep them from haunting me..." Shelby said in a whisper, growing fainter.  
  
"NOO! Shelby! You HAVE to stay awake, remember!?" Jess said getting upset, trying to nudge her.  
  
"Okay, I'm up for now, but let's find somewhere to rest. I can't go on anymore." Shelby said coming out of it, struggling to get up. Jess helped her to get up and they clambered over to a little alcove between a huge boulder and a big fallen tree. Jess cleared the area a little bit then helped Shelby to sit down. They snuggled up together for warmth and to rest.  
  
"Just be sure to wake me up every 2 hours. That's what it says on TV anyways." Shelby said smiling goofly.  
  
"How 'bout every hour, ease my nerves, okay?" Jess said coughing.  
  
"You're getting sick too...I should have NEVER brought you out here." Shelby said angrily to herself, closing her eyes.  
  
"I'm okay. Just rest. I'll try to make a fire." Jess replied, getting up. Shelby fell asleep, trusting her Girl Scout graduate sister to start an okay fire.  
  
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At this time, Peter and his troop were about an hour or so away, but they knew which way Shelby would be heading in. Towards Horizon. Towards Scott. The search party behind Shelby and Jess didn't think they were smart enough or knew where they wanted to go, so they were looking every where in all directions. They were taking longer, so they were two hours behind the sisters.  
  
"We have to keep on a straight course, that's where Shelby would go. And keep your eyes peeled. She's probably going to be trying to hide from the cops on her trail. And where ever that blood came from is probably slowing her down, got it?" Peter ordered when they had another group meeting. A few minutes later after they began walking again, Daisy caught up to Peter to talk to him.  
  
"Peter, do you think she's okay? She's been out here longer than us; walking practically straight for us. How come we haven't ran into her yet?" Daisy asked in a scared voice, one you didn't hear often.  
  
"She probably stopped. That's the only explanation. Dais..we'll find her." Peter reassured her.  
  
"Good, 'cause I promised Scott." She flatlined, being completely serious.  
  
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"Shelby?! Wake up!! It's been an hour!cough,sniffle Shel-bell! Wake up sissy!! Shelby?! PLEASE wake up!! SHELBY!!" Jess yelled than screamed when Shelby wouldn't respond. Not even a murmur from her lips. She looked..dead. Jess saw her breathing, so she knew she was still alive. But she wasn't responding. Jessabell started crying and coughing, feeling so lost and alone. She cried for a minute before quieting herself down and climbed up on top of the fallen tree.  
  
She had heard something.  
  
It was from the direction Shelby and her were going, so she got her hopes up. She jumped down and wrapped Shelby up with both of the blankets.  
  
"Don't worry Shel-bell. I'll help you now. I'll be right back!" Jess said kissing her big sister's forehead. She got up again and headed towards where she heard the noise.  
  
It was like voices.  
  
She started slow, constantly looking back to see how Shelby was doing until she couldn't see her much anymore, but knew how to get back.  
  
Then she heard it.  
  
The voices again.  
  
"Helllooo!" Jess tried, yelling, but ended up coughing so hard she got dizzy.'no more yelling for me!' she thought to herself as she strained to hear anything.  
  
Then she faintly heard it.  
  
"Shelby!" "Jessabell!" and her hopes got up.  
  
Then a thought came to her.'NO one at Horizon knows my name! That's not them! It's the police! Oh, no, Shelby!' Jess freaked and started running back to Shelby.  
  
"Shelby, Shelby! They found us!" Jess whispered/yelled completely out of breath. It was all she could muster since she was having such a hard time breathing. She snuggled under the blankets next to her sister after dousing out the small fire she'd built. She had them hid where they couldn't be spotted. She settled down not moving a muscle so she wouldn't make a sound.  
  
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A/N: Muahahahah! Left you at a GOOD spot, huh!? Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review and tell me what you think! I'll get the next chapters up ASAP, I've got a huge Ethics project due, so it might be little while, but don't give up on me! R&R! thanx! 


	8. Her Tears

D: They ain't mine. Don't bother suing. Got bubkiss in the pocket.  
  
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are awesome! I love getting reviews! Hey, Alias is on tonight! Sooo Goooood!! Okay, here's the next chappy. Will they find the sisters before the police do? Read on and find out! And don't forget to review! Enjoy!  
  
  
  
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About this time Peter and Daisy were up in front of the group, yelling for the girls.  
  
"Shelby!" "Jessabell!" "Can you hear us?!!" "Jess!" "Shelby!" Daisy yelled over and over followed by Auggie who had a suspicious look on his face.  
  
"Peter, I think we're close. Something's different." Auggie said looking all around him.  
  
" Yeah, I smell a fire." Peter said looking all around him trying to smell where it was coming from.  
  
"Let's push it up a notch. I think we're close." He informed his team; so he, Daisy, Auggie, and David trudged on with Kat not too far behind with the other group members.  
  
"Shelby, can you hear me!" "Jess!..Jessabell!" Daisy yelled, starting to feel helpless. She was really worried for her best friend and her little sister. Every minute that passed by, she felt it was one more minute where Shelby was getting into even more danger.  
  
  
  
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Meanwhile, the search party that was behind the two sisters got remarkably closer, closer than they had ever been since they started the search. One smart guy finally realized that these woods were the same woods Shelby hiked in while at school and probably knew how to navigate them so they started heading straight for the school, directly behind Shelby and Jess.  
  
  
  
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Jess snuggled down even closer to Shelby, completely unseen from anyone, staying silent as she heard some noises of in the distance coming towards them.  
  
  
  
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Peter was walking along trying to locate were the smell came from when he caught site of some smoke up ahead, off to the right.  
  
"Over there!" he yelled taking off, his emotions no longer being held in check. He was so elated to finally find something, anything. He promised himself he would never forgive himself if something happened to Shelby or Jess. He was ahead of the rest of the search group when he got to the clearing where the dying smoke was.  
  
"Shelby?! Jess?! Are you here?!" Peter said loudly, full of emotion. Then he heard the soft crying and followed the sound around a fallen tree log and saw them.  
  
" Shelby! Jess!...I found them!" Peter exclaimed then yelled to the rest of the group. He took a step and Jess cried louder, cringing and snuggling to her unconscious sister. She was terrified.  
  
"It's okay. I'm Peter Scarbrow. From Horizon?" Peter said softly, putting his hands up to show he wasn't going to hurt them. Jess seemed to visibly release the entire world off of her shoulders. Then she tensed up and started crying even more and coughing a whole lot as she tried to speak to Peter.  
  
"She won't wake up! He hit her hard and she bled a lot! I tried keeping her awake; she made it this far, but know she won't wake up!" Jess sobbed, between deep coughs and sniffles.  
  
"He broke her wrist too, I think. About a week ago. She can't do anything with it." Jess said as Peter examined Shelby. He was PISSED!!  
  
How dare he..did he hurt you too!" Peter asked between clenched teeth. Jess just shrugged, looking down quickly.  
  
"What's the matter?" Peter asked, alarmed.  
  
"N-not recently, like Shelby's type of injuries. But he's h-hurt me b- before. Since..since Shelby wasn't there anymore." Jess whispered, ashamed, tears spilling out of her eyes. Peter got a shocked look on his face as it all dawned on him. He hadn't noticed that Daisy, Kat, Auggie, and David were right behind him the whole time. The rest of the search group was scattered around the area, waiting for any news on the sisters.  
  
"I knew that. Shelby wanted me to tell you. But she told me to wait until she wrote saying it was okay first. She never got a chance." Daisy said quietly to Peter, feeling a little guilty.  
  
"You must be Daisy. Shel-bell talked about you." Jess said, coughing horribly again.  
  
"You sound horrible! Here, take my jacket Squirt. Why isn't she awake?" Auggie asked, wrapping his jacket around Jess.  
  
"She has a concussion. Sounds like she's in some type of coma or something. She needs to go to the hospital, NOW! You too Jessabell. You've caught something bad." Peter said worriedly, feeling her burning forehead. Jess seemed to feel worse and worse as soon as she was able to put her guard down and not be the strong one anymore. Peter got on his walkie talkie to their police people and told them their coordinates and the condition of the girls. There was a meadow clearing large enough for a helicopter a little ways back, so that's where they would meet. Peter bundled Shelby up in his jacket and carried her while Mark, they're bodyguard from Horizon carried little Jess. (He'd been in the group searching) All the students crowded around them following them to the clearing about 20 minutes away. When they got there LifeFlight dropped down and two paramedics came out with a backboard. Mark handed Jess over to the female medic while Peter helped put Shelby on the backboard and strap her down, putting a neck brace and oxygen on her. He helped carry it back to the helicopter since he was allowed to go along with them. Before the flight left the ground, Sophie got the call back at Horizon that they were found and which hospital they were headed to. She rushed into the lobby and spotted Scott.  
  
"Scott! Scott, they found them! Let's go!" Sophie yelled, heading out the door. Scott never moved so fast in his life as he jumped up and leapt over the sofa and to the door in a flash. It took about 30 minutes for them to get to the hospital, which made Scott even more anxious and impatient. All he wanted to do was hold Shelby in his arms again. See those gorgeous blue eyes of hers. But something in the way Sophie was gripping the steering wheel made him worry that he may never be able to.  
  
"Soph?" He said in a very scared voice.  
  
"Yah?" she said tensely.  
  
"Is she bad?" He asked in a small voice.  
  
"Yeah. They think she's in a coma. She won't respond or wake up. They air lifted her off the mountain, Scott." Sophie said in an even voice, barely keeping her voice from cracking. Scott nodded his understanding. He looked out the window as tears ran down his cheeks. Shelby's tears.  
  
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A/N: Hope you liked that one! Sorry if the end is a little cheesy but I like it! Please R&R, I'd love to hear what you think about the story so far! Next: Is Shelby going to be okay?! You'll have to wait and see! Don't forget to review! 


	9. Don't Give Up

D: Wish they were mine, but they aren't. Just borrowing them.  
  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm gonna update now, I want to put the next chappy up for y'all. It's at a really good part! And I want to get started on my next fanfic for y'all. So, here ya go, enjoy!  
  
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By now, Shelby and Jess had been brought in the emergency room after coming off of the helicopter and getting through the two different news cameras there covering the story of the lost sisters that had been running on the news the past 24 hours. They had been checked over, then both placed in the P.I.C.U. Jess had pneumonia and a bronchial infection. She was put on rapid warmed fluids, antibiotics, oxygen, and placed under a warmer sheet due to hypothermia. Shelby was worse off. Along with the two IVs in both arms like Jess, she had 20 stitches put in her head, a cast on her wrist, and under a warmer sheet. (you know, the kind that looks like a flat blow up raft that circulates warmed air through it). Both girls were on heart monitors watching their hearts for any distress. Shelby was also diagnosed comatose, in a Light Coma stage. Her head had some swelling around her brain; they gave her drugs to try to reduce it.  
  
By the time Scott and Sophie got there, they were both in the P.I.C.U. for a short time in a glass sliding door room with the light glowy lights over head. They both looked even paler under them.  
  
"Oh dear God...Shelby?" Scott cried out softly, Niagara Scott tears falling.  
  
"How are they?" he asked Peter, who was seated just across from them, but in between them so he could watch over both of them.  
  
"Jess has pneumonia and a bronchial infection. She's dehydrated and hypothermic. She'll recover. Shelby....she's in a coma. Fractured wrist, brain swelling, hypothermic, and dehydrated. They don't know about her." Peter said in an even voice staring straight at the girls. Sophie covered her mouth in shock, eyes filling with tears. She quickly sank to the chair next to Peter. Scott got REALLY upset then.  
  
"No..N-noo! HOW could they SEND her back there!? LOOK what it did to her!" He cried quietly, tears falling over his cheeks.  
  
"I'm sorry, Scott. I tried!" Peter said, defeated. Scott slowly stepped over to Shelby, making sure not to disturb the heating blanket or any of the many tubes and wires. The monitors beeped rhythmically and the oxygen leading to her nose whirled softly as she very slowly took breaths. He gently took her good hand being careful of the I.V.  
  
"Shelby? It's me Scott. I'm here now. You have to wake up so I can see your beautiful smile. So I now that you're going to be okay. Jess is going to be fine; she's right here next to you. .Shel.no more running. Peter and Sophie are here and they're awfully worried about you. So you have to stop worrying them by waking up, or they might give you shuns. Okay? Please?! Baby, you have to wake up!" Scott said finally falling apart. He sat down right next to her holding her hand. Scott stayed there well into the late night and early morning. Sophie just told the nurses that he was her fiancé so they wouldn't kick him out when visiting hours closed. Peter and Sophie were allowed to stay because they were the guardians at the moment.  
  
Peter finally got Scott away from Shelby's side around 4am in the morning to get something to eat. Sophie stayed with the girls.  
  
"Daisy's coming in a couple of hours with Shelby and Jess's mom. And the police." Peter explained on the way to the cafeteria.  
  
"They can't arrest her! Come on Peter, help her out!" Scott said getting very upset.  
  
"They just want a statement." Peter tried to explain.  
  
"Bull****! They are not going to bother with my Shelby with all that and if they even dare try waking Jessabell up they'll have to arrest ME when I'm through!" Scott said warningly. Peter smiled at that.  
  
"As long as we're both on the same page then." Peter said patting him on the back. Scott looked at Peter surprised then smiled. He knew Peter cared about Shelby like his own daughter.  
  
"A little possessive with the whole 'MY' bit, don't you think?" Peter said with a smile as they got some sandwiches.  
  
"Nope." Scott responded as he grabbed an apple and headed to the pay counter.  
  
  
  
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The cops never got a chance to come in the girls' room, anyway. Not with Peter and Sophie there. Scott and Daisy were close behind them. Mrs. Merrick was all teared up when she stepped back out with the cops.  
  
"When they wake up, tell them I love them and that I'm so sorry." She said as they watched the cops put her in cuffs and take her away. Daisy and Scott watched in shock.  
  
"What's going on Peter?" Daisy asked confused. Peter looked a little relieved as he pulled them outside the room to explain.  
  
" Apparently she confessed to everything about Walt. She's in trouble for being aware of it and not reporting it or trying to stop it. It's a form of child abuse." Peter explained.  
  
"So, they weren't here to arrest Shelby?" Scott asked in a rush.  
  
"Nope. They just had to report the girls' conditions and were hoping that maybe Jess would be able to speak a few words about what happened. But she'd more or less told me everything when we found them in the woods. Daisy, Auggie, and David are witnesses. That's all they need. Just need to get it all on paper." Peter said with a hopeful smile. Scott sighed thankfully. He went back in and sat by Shelby holding her hand again. They'd taken the heating blankets off the girls by now and just had them under regular blankets now. They just looked like they were sleeping. Well, Jess was anyway. She could wake up whenever she wanted. She just slept because of her exhaustion. Shelby couldn't wake up. No matter how much Scott pleaded to her. He didn't even know if she could hear him.  
  
Just before Scott drifted off to sleep laying his head and arms gently by Shelby's side, holding her hand, he made a promise to her.  
  
"Shelby? I don't know if you hear me but I promise never to leave your side again. I'll fight for you, so you have to fight too. . I love you." He whispered to her, kissing her temple then nestled down next to her, holding her hand.  
  
I love you too, Scott! Don't give up on me! Shelby thought back as she lay there unable to respond. She had been able to hear everything the whole time. She just couldn't respond. She drifted off to sleep once again, from the comfort of having Scott right by her.  
  
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A/N: There you go! Hope you liked it! Review and tell me what you think! Next: Will Shelby ever wake up? And what's the surprise that is coming? Wait and you will see! Don't forget to review! Next chappy will be up soon! thanx! 


	10. He's my WHAT? part 1

D: Don't own them, blah blah blah .  
  
A/N: I'm typing this up on my Microsoft Word program in advance to any reviews 'cause my internet is down so I can't do anything about questions right now. Here's the next chappy, it's almost over, only a couple chapters left! Enjoy!  
  
  
  
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Jess slept for almost another full day before she opened her eyes. (About 36 hours since they were brought in.)  
  
"Shelby?" she hoarsely asked, coughing.  
  
"She's right here, right next to you. I'm Sophie. I work with Peter at Horizon. How do you feel, sweety?" Sophie asked gently even though she was excited that Jess had woken up finally.  
  
"Thirsty. How is she?" Jess asked right away, not bothering with herself. Sophie looked down and frowned. Jess grew alarmed and looked over to her sister.  
  
"Tell me!" Jess demanded a little bit stronger. Sophie could see she no other choice but to tell her the truth about her big sister.  
  
"She's in a coma." Sophie said softly, feeling awful about the look that crossed the young girl's face when she heard the news. Jess gasped and looked away as tears fell. She pounded her hands down on the bed with frustration.  
  
"I KNEW she was hurt real bad, I could tell! She wasn't looking so good. I SHOULD have told her to go to a hospital! She's just so stubborn!" Jess said getting upset. Her heart monitor beeped rapidly.  
  
"Jessabell, you have to calm down. You're not so good yourself! You have pneumonia, bronchitis, and you've barely recovered from hypothermia! Calm yourself down." Sophie tried saying in an even voice. Jess took a deep labored breath and calmed down a bit.  
  
"There you go. Scott's almost back, he's been by your sides since you two got here." Sophie said smiling at her.  
  
"They're soul mates...did my mom come?" Jess said evenly. Sophie smirked at the soul mate bit then took a deep breath to explain her mother's whereabouts.  
  
"She's been taken into custody for harboring a child molester and is going on trial in a couple of days. Walt's locked up for good. He may get maximum punishment, but no less then life in prison. It all depends how Shelby pulls out of this. He's up for murder. They believe he intended to kill Shelby. Skipped right past manslaughter." Sophie said in a grateful tone. She didn't know it, but she was lifting a huge weight off of Jess's shoulders by telling her that. A weight that had been there for a long time. But not nearly as long as Shelby.  
  
"Thank you." Jess said full of emotion as tears started to fall and she leaned up to hug Sophie. Just then Scott, Peter, and Daisy came back in.  
  
"Hey, she's awake!" Daisy exclaimed going over to Jess's bed.  
  
"Hey, Squirt." Scott said smiling for the first time in forever. (Well to him anyway.)  
  
"Hi, Bro!" Jess said smiling a goofy smile. Scott got a little confused due to the stress he had been in lately; he was a little slow on the uptake.  
  
"You KNOW you're marrying her someday. You guys are soul mates. She's just practicing!" Daisy said matter-of-factly with a grin on her face. Scott smiled his eyes lighting up. But when he looked over at Shelby lying there so peacefully, but not moving, he got sad all over again.  
  
"She'll wake up. She's just exhausted. She barely slept since she left you guys. Her body's just making up for it. Besides, she wouldn't leave without saying goodbye to me." Jess said breathlessly, but truthfully. They all glanced over to Shelby and believed that. They had too.  
  
  
  
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Jess stayed in the ICU for 4 days, recovering from what the doctors labeled "walking pneumonia". All she had now was a bad chess cold and a case of the "sleepies".  
  
"She's STILL sleeping?" Daisy said softly as she came back to the room for a visit. All the Cliffhangers came for visit's over the past few days in little shifts. 2-3 people at a time, Daisy being able to visit the most and Scott never left. Peter and Sophie didn't even bother to try knowing it wouldn't be worth the hassle. It was Jess's last day in the ICU, which meant she'd soon be moved to another room upstairs. Away from her big sister.  
  
"Yeah, but today's her last day here. She's going to be real upset she's leaving her sister." Sophie said to Peter a little worried. Her and Peter had also been moving back and forth between the hospital and the school in shifts, but both were there today because of Jess's moving.  
  
"It's okay. We've all grown on her, if we just stay by her side, she'll be okay. She's a tough girl." Peter said not too worried. All this time, like any other time over the past week, Scott was sitting by Shelby's side holding her hand and staring at her sleeping.  
  
"Why won't she wake up? She's been recuperating for almost 5 days now." Scott said suddenly.  
  
"Give her time. She'll come around on her own time." Sophie reassured rubbing his back. Scott forced a small smile and nodded, turning back to Shelby. He just needed to be reminded every so often.  
  
A little while later Jess woke up feeling better than ever and they prepared to move her to her new room upstairs in the DOU (Direct Observation Unit){my sis works there!}  
  
"No more oxygen in my nose? No more IV's?" Jess said hopefully.  
  
"No more IV's maybe no more oxygen. Just have to stay under observation and you'll have lots of check ups through out the day and night to monitor everything." The doctor said signing the papers to move her upstairs.  
  
"You'll take care of her for me, won't you Scott?" Jess asked even though she knew she didn't have to.  
  
"Promise. With everything I am." Scott replied as he watched them as they wheeled her out the door on her bed. And boy did he mean it.  
  
  
  
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The next night, Jess's second night being without her sister, Scott was fast asleep holding Shelby's hand while laying his head and arms along side Shelby on her bed.  
  
It was about midnight or so when some of her monitors started beeping differently. The change in noise woke Scott up and he groggily opened his eyes.  
  
"Sh-Shelby? You okay?" he mumbled automatically expecting no response since he'd been talking to her for days with no responses. It was like talking to a pet fish or something. Except this 'fish' talked back.  
  
"No." Shelby responded hoarsely. Scott looked up suddenly staring at the wall alarmed.  
  
'Gotta be dreaming!' Scott thought shaking his head. Then the fingers wrapped around his hand and squeezed him.  
  
He slowly turned his head away from the wall and looked straight into Shelby's wide, confused eyes.  
  
"Shelby?! You're awake!? I'm not dreaming?!" Scott whispered loudly as if he was in a library.  
  
"How should I know? Last thing I remember is falling asleep next to my sister on the mountain somewhere. What happened? Where am I? Where's Jess?..Hi!" she stammered, then finally realizing she was talking to SCOTT. For real.  
  
"You're awake!" Scott repeated again, this time a little louder. Shelby rolled her eyes slightly and smiled at him.  
  
"Hun, I think we already established that. Now what happened?" Shelby said touching his cheek to ground him a little. Scott nodded then quickly explained the story.  
  
"Um, you went unconscious on the mountain, you were air lifted with Jess off of the mountain as soon as Peter and some of the gang found you. You've been in a coma for five days, Shel. Jess was here with you, but was released upstairs a day or so ago. And Hi too. Boy I've missed you Shelby! You scared me SO much!" Scott said holding onto her hand for dear life.  
  
"I-I've been out of it for f-five days?! My God, what did he DO to me?!" Shelby said through tears of shock. She tried reaching up to her head with her casted hand, but stopped at the sight of the bright blue cast.  
  
"He BROKE my wrist too!?" She exclaimed, her eyes flashing with anger.  
  
"He's in jail for good and your mom's in there waiting for her trial." Scott said softly. Shelby nodded as the news about putting that monster and his mistress where they belonged. She seemed visibly relieved for both her and her sister's sake.  
  
"But Jess is okay?" she asked softly.  
  
"Yes. She had pneumonia and a bronchial infection. She was down here with you for four days. Slept most of the time. You both had exhaustion and hypothermia. But you both are over that now. She's MUCH better, upstairs to finish recovering. You're next." Scott relayed.  
  
"Maybe we should call a nurse or something." Scott said looking over his shoulder.  
  
"One thing first, cowboy." Shelby said pulling on Scott's hand towards her. She gave him a huge HELLO! kiss.  
  
"Now we can call the nurse." Shelby said breathlessly leaning back down, leaving Scott to see stars.  
  
The doctor and nurse came in to check up on her, do all her vital, look in her eyes, and such stuff.  
  
"Well, Ms. Merrick, you've got one devoted fiancé here. And some good friends upstairs with your sister. They've been literally living her for about a week. You should be very grateful." The doctor pointed out smiling at her kindly. When he had mentioned fiancé Shelby's eyebrows shot up and she looked over with wide eyes at Scott. He just pretended the wall was suddenly very fascinating to look at.  
  
"Oh, I am, believe me." Shelby said squeezing Scott's hand. Boy was she ever grateful. She just couldn't figure out where her engagement ring was!  
  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
  
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A/N: Sorry! Had to cut it somewhere! It was getting REALLY long, but I'll have the next part following just behind it. Review and tell me what you think now or you can wait till I finish the second part. I'd love both though if you want! Make my miserable week! (Car broke down AGAIN! Had no cell phone that day, no change, and just didn't renew my AAA card! Plus I missed my class where I had a test AND it was my mother's birthday! ALL IN ONE DAY!! And before that I had to say goodbye to my baby nephew so my bro could take him back up north to his wicked mother. I HATE it when he has to go back up there! And I hate the look on my bro's face when he has to take him! Breaks my heart! This whole custody battle thing is new to me. I don't like it very much. Anyways, thanks for letting me vent. At least I got to see an AWESOME 24 last night! Poor Kim and Megan! Can't wait till next week! I'll update real fast, review if you want. thanx! 


	11. Perfect He's my WHAT? part 2

D: Not mine, yackitty smackitty..  
  
A/N: Here's your second part to this chappy, hope you like. Practically done! Enjoy and Review!  
  
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They called down Sophie who was upstairs with Jess for the night. Daisy and Peter were at the very close hotel room the hospital provides for long term patient's family members. They used it when it gets too late to attempt to drive back to Horizon even though it wasn't too far away. Sophie came through the door in a rush all wide eyed and almost in tears.  
  
"Hey, Soph." Shelby said whispishly smiling at her with a twinkle in her eyes.  
  
"Oh! Thank You God!" Sophie whispered, the tears of joy finally falling. She went over and hugged Shelby gently for a long moment.  
  
"You came back to us!" Sophie said happily as she tenderly held Shelby's face. She kissed Shelby's forehead, but not too close to her stitches. (Just picture like Ashley Judd's character on Where The Heart Is movie with Natalie Portman).  
  
"Yep. And I want outta here. Oh, and...WHEN did I get engaged? 'Cause I KNOW I was in a coma, but this isn't a real life version of 'While You Where Sleeping'. I'm flattered, really, but..a girl would like to be PRESENT for that moment in her life, don'cha think?" Shelby said, going back to her old self. Scott and Sophie just laughed. Sophie shook her head and tried to explain.  
  
"HE would never leave your side and the hospital wasn't about to let him stay so instead of getting him thrown out of her physically by the nurses and possibly in a jail cell, me and Peter thought it would be okay if we fudged it a little. Who's counting right? I have a feeling it'll happen sooner or later, right?" Sophie explained smiling the whole time. Shelby's eyes just twinkled her heart leaping for Scott. Yep, most definitely sooner probably!  
  
"Um, you'll probably be okay to leave the ICU in a day or two, but you're stuck in the hospital for at least 4 or 5 more days. But you could still surprise us." The doctor said when Shelby just about bit his head off when he walked in. Shelby nodded understanding finally.  
  
"I'm wide awake! How am I gonna go back to sleep now?" Shelby asked once everyone left and got settled.  
  
"Well, what do you feel like doing, Shel?" Sophie asked. Shelby's eyes flashed and she grinned.  
  
"I know what she wants! A big, fat, juicy burger with curly fries and a huge strawberry malt! Am I close?" Scott asked, smiling like a fool in love.  
  
"Perfect! Oh, please, please can I have it! I'm SOO hungry!" Shelby whined hoarsely, sticking out her lower lip.  
  
It was just too pathetic.  
  
"Sure, I'll have Peter and Daisy bring it. They're here tonight." Sophie said, reaching for the phone.  
  
"Peter AND Daisy are here?!" Shelby asked, surprised.  
  
"Yep..Here! You talk to him, I dialed already!" Sophie said getting a mischievous grin on her face. She handed Shelby the phone and waited.  
  
It rang almost 5 times before Peter picked it up and speaking groggily.  
  
"H-Hello?" came his mumbly voice.  
  
"Hey captain! Can you get me a big hamburger with those curly fries and a big strawberry malt? To go would be nice and step on it, I'm STARVING!" Shelby said, trying her hardest to keep a straight voice. It was too much.  
  
"Ohmiga!.. SHELBY!?! You're awake?!" He said, fully awake now, with Daisy glued to his every word since he spoke her name.  
  
"Yeah, and I'm in serious need of nourishment! So, will you get me my food?" Shelby said, only half playing around. Girl was HUNGARY!  
  
"Yeah, we'll be right there! Burger, curly, and strawberry correct?" He went back over quickly.  
  
"Perfect captain, thanks! Say hi to Dais for me K? I know she's probably breathing down your neck right now! Bye!" Shelby said smiling then breaking into giggles when she hung up.  
  
"You're horrible, Shel." Sophie said, smiling the whole time. Peter and Daisy came with her food, which she wolfed down, much to the nurses' dismay. She also called up to her sister's room to talk to her for awhile. All four of them eventually fell asleep in the morning, Shelby the last one as she looked around the room at the wonderful people she now had in her life. She sure wasn't gonna take them for granted anymore. If it weren't for her past, she'd almost say her life was perfect. Yet again, if it weren't for her past, she never would have ended up at Horizon and never would have met Peter and Sophie and the rest of the Cliffhangers.  
  
Or Scott.  
  
She smiled at her 'fiancé' and gently stroked his head that was now resting on her stomach with his hands wrapped around her good arm and waist. She dozed off completely at peace. All she needed now was to see her sister. That would make it all 'perfect'.  
  
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A/N: Hope you liked that extended chapter! That was my longest yet! Please review and tell me what you think! And sorry for rambling on last chapter about all my crap! Next: Shelby goes home. And don't forget to review! thanx! 


	12. The New Family

D: See previous chappy..too lazy to write again.  
  
A/N: I SOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry I haven't updated in so long, especially right near the end. I've been swamped with that Ethics project and all the end of the semester garbage. Forgiveness is optional, I'll understand. Here's the next chappy, hope you like, might be the last one or maybe an epilogue to follow, we'll see. Enjoy!  
  
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A day later Shelby was moved to her sister's room in the Pediatric Care Unit. This made both of them very happy and relieved, especially for Jess who last time she spoke with her sister was when she was on the mountain. It seemed like ages ago. The doctors credited this as one of the reasons the sisters did so well after that in they're recoveries. Just four days after they were joined together they were released.  
  
"And you'll see the doctor in a couple days to get those stitches out." The nurse informed, as she was wheeled out by Scott and Jess by Peter. Most of the cliffhangers were there to see her home.  
  
"Yeah. Promise. I can't STAND not taking a shower!" Shelby said.  
  
"Ewww! Then your hair is still dirty?!" Jules squealed, twisting her face up. Shelby and a few others rolled their eyes at that.  
  
"Nope. Scott has been washing my hair for me and Daisy's been helping me take a bath. It's very humiliating actually." Shelby said smiling though. When they finally got to the two vehicles they were taking to get home was when Scott finally exhaled, releasing all the worry and tension from the last couple of weeks. The drive back home went by really fast with Daisy entertaining Shelby and Scott's vehicle. And Kat in the second vehicle calling road jokes and games over the two-way walkie talkies the two cars shared. When they returned to Horizon, Jess and Shelby came home to a HUGE party.  
  
"I'm so glad you're back and safe! Don't ever do that again!" Kat said giving her a big huge as they all sat around the lounge by the fireplace.  
  
" I missed you all too. And I'm just glad to be away from all 'that'. All I wanted was to get back to where I belonged. And to get my little sister to a safe place. Away from that monster." Shelby said as she gently stroked Jess's head, which was in her lap. She has fallen asleep after all the excitement of getting to Horizon, meeting everybody and to see the place that was so special to her big sister. She understood why her sister loved this place. She felt instantly safe after getting here and being around everybody. She especially grew a special bond to Sophie. It had started back at the hospital. In all the excitement, Shelby forgot to officially introduce her little sister to everyone, especially since she wasn't awake for most of the time when the couple of them visited. She saw David, Ezra, and Auggie looking at them two smiling and it dawned on her.  
  
"Oh! Sorry guys, this is my baby sister Jessabell Merrick. Sorry I didn't introduce you when she was still awake." Shelby said smiling apologetically. Jess stirred at the mention of her name and sat up.  
  
"Sorry sis. I forgot to introduce you to the gang." Shelby said quickly.  
  
"Oooh! That explains why some of them keep calling me 'Shelby's sister'." She said finally understanding why they didn't just call her Jess. (An: when you're not officially introduced, people tend to refer to you as 'Stacey's twin, or 'her sister' until you're actually introduced. Found this out when I went to pick my sis up at her work for the first. They knew my name, but I'd never met them before. Just some helpful info.)  
  
"Jess, I'd like you to meet the rest of the gang. That's David, Ezra, Juliette, and Augusto, but you can call him Auggie." Shelby said quickly as they all smiled and nodded at the younger Merrick. Shelby snuggled down against Scott, getting comfy while Jess went to sit closer to the fireplace, enjoying being warm after her whole ordeal on the mountain.  
  
"That's one nasty gash on you head, Shel. Is it gonna leave a scar?" Jules pointed out cringing her face.  
  
"The plastic surgeon said slightly on the deepest part, closest to my eyebrow. But not really." Shelby said in a grimace/smile.  
  
" Son-of-a--- He'll never touch you again. Not if I have anything to do with it." Scott growled, holding Shelby a little closer. Shelby just smiled. She was safe and sound in her guy's arms once again.  
  
She was home at last.  
  
Which was where she was headed to from the beginning. Just took some huge and scary obstacles to get there. She drifted off to sleep before she knew it and the gang made sure to keep their voices down as they continued to chat.  
  
"So, what's this whole 'engaged' thing I heard about?" Auggie said softly, cocking an eyebrow at Scott. Scott looked up from gazing at Shelby and smiled goofly.  
  
"Just a little fudge Peter and Sophie pulled so I could stay with Shelby in the hospital. It's nothing. I don't think of it at all like you're thinking muchacho." Scott replied truthfully, gently playing with the hospital band Shelby still had on her wrist. She'd be getting it off when she got her stitches out.  
  
"What, meat? Don't you want to marry her?" Auggie said, not understanding. Scott smiled down at Shelby before responding.  
  
"Absolutely. Just not right now. When the time comes, I'll ask her to be my wife. It's going to be a special, beautiful day." He said all the while looking at Shelby's sleeping face. Kat and Jules looked on with a little tear in their eyes. They loved romantic stuff like that. Daisy just smiled for her, happy for her friend. Jess beamed at Scott.  
  
"Told ya' you'd be my brother!" she said giggling, everyone else joining her.  
  
A couple of days later Jess and Shelby went back for a check up at the local hospital. Shelby got her stitches out, and told she would have a little bit of a scar. (think Liz on 'Roswell') A week later Walt and their mom went on trial. Walt would get life in prison after Shelby, Jess, and their mother testified. Along with statements from Peter, Sophie, Horizon's own doctors, the girls of the Cliffhangers group who hear here nightmares, and even Scott it was an open and shut case. Scott and Sophie even got to go on the stand to testify as witnesses, Scott being the first person she told and Sophie being her counselor. Scott was behind Shelby AND Jess the whole way. Their mom got five years and probation with community service since to know about child abuse and not reporting it even on one child is just as serious as the person doing it. The Merrick sisters were saddened about that. Now they were wards of the state since both legal guardians were in jail. They still couldn't contact their real father to see if he'd take over custody so that he could legally sign to keep them at Horizon.  
  
For the first time Shelby was faced with the true consequences of her actions.  
  
"They're going to take us away on Monday! We have to go to some foster home until we get placed in permanent home! We're not even sure they'll keep us together!" Shelby cried on Saturday night after coming back from the latest hearing. She sobbed in Scott's arms at the outside fire pit while Kat cuddled Jess who was whimpering and sniffling.  
  
"Can't Peter do ANYthing?!?" Daisy said miserable. Jess eyed Shelby with a look that said a thousand words.  
  
"Sorry my Jessabell baby. Nice birthday present, huh? Get you torn away from yet another place you call home." Shelby mumbled through sniffles and whimpers. Everyone looked shocked at that.  
  
"Today's your birthday?" Ezra asked. Jess nodded.  
  
" 11 years ago at 1:17 am this morning, at 6lbs. 9ounces. And just under 19inches. Small little screaming squirt." Shelby mumbled smiling as she remembered.  
  
"Wow. How old were you Shel?" Jules asked, always wanting a baby sibling.  
  
"Almost 7. Saw the whole thing. I was the only one there for my mom. I couldn't leave her. The nurses felt too bad about making me. They always commented how mature I acted for my age." Shelby said smirking at that.  
  
"Where was your pops?" Auggie asked, not being nosey.  
  
"Working. I guess. Or so he says. I did come early, he'll argue." Jess said evenly, shrugging.  
  
"Well, we are not going to mope all around tonight when it's someone's Birthday today. Let's go see if we can scrounge up something to bake a cake with." Kat said helping the birthday girl up. Just then Sophie and Peter came out all smiles on their faces. They had a gift of their own.  
  
"We know of a certain girls special day today, so we'd like her to do the honors of opening her first gift." Peter said, putting on a whole show.  
  
"What is that?" Shelby asked, wondering what the thick manila folder was. Jess curiously opened it and looked at the jumble of legal documents. She started reading some of what it said and the only thing she could decipher was the fact that it had printed:  
  
Peter Michael Scarbrow and Sophie Lynn Scarbrow legal adopted foster parents of the following minors:  
  
Shelby Marie Merrick 17 years of age  
  
Jessabell Christine Merrick.11 years of age, today.  
  
Jess nearly fainted. Her hands shook. Shelby took notice immediately and jumped up to see what had her little sis so upset. She read the documents and her eye instantly filled with more tears.  
  
"Is this for real? Shel-bell? Do they really want us?" Jess whispered in shock. All Shelby could do was nod and step towards her new parents.  
  
"You WANT us? Why? I've been impossible! It's such a huge thing!" Shelby sputtered out not believing it. Sophie smiled at her and took her face in her hands.  
  
"You ARE my daughters. You KNOW I can't have children of my own. Being here, working with all of you kids. You guys are like my family. But especially you; I know you're not supposed to play favorites..but I guess that's were I messed up. You're my special one." Sophie said softly, all full of emotion. Shelby had tears down her cheeks already as she hugged her new mom and Jess hugged their new dad.  
  
"Hope you guys are okay with this. We'd hate to think you guys might be thought of as less important to us. 'Cause I'll tell you right now you're not. Please don't think that." Peter said still holding Jess. Everyone shook their heads no and reassured that they were all okay with the new situation.  
  
"We all have families and parents. They don't and who better than the people that saved their lives." Daisy pointed out, smirking at Shelby.  
  
"What about our mother? Our real mother?" Jess said, looking worried that all this would be taken away from her.  
  
"Actually, she was the one who suggested to do all this. Me and Soph had already began planning to do it any way when we knew you'd become a ward of the state, back in the hospital when we heard your mom turned herself in. She just brought it up faster. It was a very nice coincident, actually. Made things so much easier. We thought we'd have to go to court and fight for you two." Peter stated smiling as Shelby came over then to give him a hug. Everyone nodded at that thanking his or her own lucky stars it didn't come down to that.  
  
"I've always wanted to call you dad. You sure act like one to all of us, but it seems especially to me. To me any way." Shelby said grinning up at Peter.  
  
"It won't be a stretch to call you mom either. You're already like an older sister to me." Shelby commented from her father's embrace.  
  
" Gee, thanks you guys. Now I'm REALLY going to feel old! But 'Mom' still sounds real nice to me!" Sophie said happily. They all went inside then, with everyone looking over the official document.  
  
"Wait. Sophie Scarbrow? When did you two get hitched?!" Daisy finally realized. Everyone froze at that noticing for the first time themselves'. Peter and Sophie smiled at each other and raised their eyebrows.  
  
"NOW they finally notice! It's only been read by, like, EVERYBODY!" Sophie said giggling. Juliette squealed.  
  
"They got married! They got married!" she said loudly, jumping up and down.  
  
"Wow, Queenie! You're quick!" Daisy teased as everyone waited for the explanation.  
  
"Yesterday afternoon. When we figured out you two wouldn't be able to stay here. We were going to any way; we just had to step it up. He even already had the ring!" Sophie said showing off her ring everyone seemed to have not noticed. The girls all awwed over it.  
  
"We're still going to have a ceremony. Being married in the court house isn't as exciting." Peter said, putting his arm around Sophie.  
  
"And you are all invited. With my new daughters as my bridesmaids, of course." Sophie said. She loved that. My Daughters.  
  
She positively glowed.  
  
In just two days she went from Sophie Becker, single, Horizon Counselor to Mrs. Peter Scarbrow, married, to wife, and mother of two incredible daughters.  
  
Who else could say that about themselves?!  
  
Life was good.  
  
  
  
FIN  
  
A/N: Hope you liked my story! I loved writing this one! It was my first HG fanfic to write. I have another one that I'll be posting up soon, so be on the look out! Don't forget to review to tell me what you thought of my first ever Higher Ground story, and first completely finished fan fic!! Thank you to all my great and loyal reviewers! You guys are awesome and keep me going when I don't think my story is doing well. Here's a shout out to all those loyal reviewers: hoplessromantic, Katwomyn2k5, Emer, Lauren, Funkee Monkee, Prettyg36, molly-dolly(), KittyKat, Flamingteen, Luann, and tisha. Thanks y'all!! I love ya ta pieces!! I'm outtie! Gotta Blaze! Adios! Peace! 


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